What Kind of Villainy
by Elveatas
Summary: Morgana is an infamous supervillain in the middle of infiltrating the superheroes' headquarters. In order to get away with her master plan, however, she needs a little bit of help from Merlin – her superhero brother's assistant.


**A/N: Originally written for Pornalot 2016 extra challenge one – Superheroes and Supervillains**

 **Can also be read on AO3 under the same title and on livejournal on the original post**

 **Beta'd by the ever lovely hart_d**

* * *

Merlin is sitting by his computer when Morgana enters his office, probably playing some kind of game with Gwaine from the floor below judging by the concentration directed at his screen, which he usually never displays during actual work situations. At least not if Morgana is to believe all the bitching Arthur does about it.

"Hello Merlin," Morgana says, announcing her presence as she saunters over to his desk.

Merlin actually looks up from his computer, which means that either he just lost, or he's so far ahead in the game Gwaine can never catch up with him.

"Hey Morgana," he says, grinning as if they aren't both aware she's just bypassed several top-notch security measures that have been put in place to prevent supervillains like her from entering. "What brings you into the lion's den? I thought you didn't deal with superheroes anymore?"

She shrugs, leaning her weight against his desk, slamming her very expensive bag on top of what looks to be a stack of important papers. "As far as I know, you're not a superhero."

Merlin makes a gesture that seems to be halfway between a shrug and a nod. "Which is why you're here pestering me – your brother's hard-working assistant – instead of your idiot brother?" He glances at his wristwatch briefly before meeting her eyes with a pointed look. "Who left half an hour ago to attend to some business in town."

"Villain?" she asks. "Or regular lunch-meeting?"

Merlin clicks out of the game he was playing, taps a bit on the keyboard and says, "Just a lunch-meeting. It's set to last for another half hour. I think they're mostly just signing papers and shaking hands."

"Ah," Morgana says, somewhat disappointed, which naturally doesn't pass Merlin by, the perceptive bastard.

"I could invent a bank robbery," he suggests casually. Then he clicks and taps around some more. "Or I could divert Gwaine's incoming mission to Arthur instead? Arthur will complain about it later, of course, but both you and Gwaine will be happy and definitely owe me a favour. And as is the motto in this company: 'the needs of the many outweighs the needs of the few,' so I figure Arthur will just have to deal with it." He gives her one of his cheeky grins. "Might as well give him something reasonable to yell about, actually."

"Oh, thank you so much, Merlin!" she says, unable to help the spontaneous, awkward hugging that ensues. It is totally unfit behaviour for a villain, but she doesn't care. Merlin won't tell, and if anyone passes by, she can always pass it off as trying to strangle him. "If you ever get tired of working for my idiot of a brother, I could use a new sidekick," she says when she lets him go.

Merlin rolls his eyes while adjusting the stack of papers she upset in her hurry to hug him across the desk. "I'm quite content on this side of the law, thank you." He raises a finger to point at her. "But fair warning, Morgana, I'm going to start cashing in on all those favours you owe me soon."

Morgana just smiles brightly in return, hoisting her bag up over her shoulder. "I'll make sure the sun shines on your birthday. And I'll even yell at Arthur on your behalf the next time he's being unreasonable."

Merlin arches his eyebrow at her, reminding Morgana of his blood relation to Gaius, and she quickly amends, "Well, the next time he's being unreasonable, _except_ this afternoon. I'll be busy this afternoon."

"You better be," he grumbles, shaking his head to himself. "Honestly, you Pendragons are so terrible with your feelings."

Morgana doesn't answer him. Mostly because it's painfully true, but also because the clock is ticking, and she wants to take advantage of the precious time Merlin has bought her before it's too late and Arthur is back to spoil her romantic endeavours. Instead, she throws a wave over her shoulder as she sets off, which Merlin half-heartedly returns before he goes back to typing on his keyboard.

She's barely reached the doors to the corridor when Merlin's voice calls out behind her, "If you can't find her, she's still in the labs working on some kind of new prototype for Elyan to try out next week."

"Thank you, Merlin!" she calls back, giving him one last smile before the doors close behind her.

She's in the lift before anyone can catch her, riding down to the deepest basement where all the labs are located and where she'll find what she's looking for. The part of her that's concerned with her public image and fearsome reputation tells her that what she's feeling in her stomach is the gravitational pull of traveling so many floors so quickly, but the part of her that decided to come here today knows it's butterflies catching up with her now she's so close to her goal.

There's a mirror in the lift, and never one to not take advantage of such things, Morgana brushes down her skirt, checks her make-up, and makes sure her hair is on point before a ding and an electronic voice announces she's arrived at the intended destination. She takes one final breath to steel herself and get the butterflies in her stomach to cooperate, before she steps out of the lift and into a conveniently empty corridor. She'll need to thank Merlin for that extra favour later.

The clicking of her heels echoes as she follows the corridor, passing by several doors leading into other labs of people Morgana doesn't care about. It has a somewhat calming effect, reminding herself she's a powerful villain most people would despair of meeting. There is no need for her to be that nervous. Everything has been thoroughly planned and prepared; her father is in another city, Arthur is busy, Merlin is on her side, and Morgause has graciously left their mansion with a knowing wink and a promise not to be back until further notice.

She's almost calm by the time she comes to a halt in front of the doors leading into the lab of Guinevere Smith. Anyone watching her through the security cameras in the corridor will not be able to tell she currently has her heart in her throat. Unless, of course, that someone is Merlin. But he doesn't count.

She enters before she can get cold feet, knowing Merlin will be disappointed in her if she gives up now.

As usual, the lab is filled with weird contraptions of all sorts and weapons with more firepower Morgana can ever hope to conjure via magic. Sometimes she wonders how anyone can find their way in here without a tracking spell, and if maybe the mess is actually an intentional security measure to prevent people like her from stealing the latest prototype.

It certainly serves as an excellent hiding place; Gwen is nowhere in sight and the horrible feeling of disappointment eats away at the excited thrill that's been keeping Morgana upright until now. Maybe Gwen isn't even in. Merlin said she'd be in her lab, but even he can be wrong, and what if—

A rustle somewhere to her right is the only warning she gets before a familiar and rather lovely voice says, "Hey Morgana."

Startled, Morgana spins on her heel, wobbles a bit, and comes face to face with a pair of large goggles and the reflection of her own face. Then the goggles are moved up to rest on a forehead, and instead, two grinning eyes and an accompanying, radiant smile underneath are visible.

"Merlin said you'd be in, but I got caught up with my latest project, so I didn't have time to wash," Gwen says, apologetic. "Sorry." She rubs her neck, embarrassed, but her grin doesn't waver much.

Morgana hears the words but doesn't quite understand their meaning. Gwen is wearing a pair of atrocious but practical orange coveralls, there's more than one spot of motor oil on her face, and her hair is an absolute mess of brown curls that used to be a ponytail. Yet Morgana has never seen anything more beautiful.

The speech she spent ages practicing in front of the mirror lies forgotten somewhere in the back of her brain. Though she's not sure it would be any help considering how dry her throat suddenly is. And there goes her treacherous heart, beating like crazy and stirring up all the butterflies she's just tamed. So much for all the meticulous planning she did.

She kidnaps Gwen before she can make a complete fool out of herself.

Actions do speak louder than words, or so she's heard.

* * *

"What do you mean Morgana has kidnapped Guinevere," Arthur predictably says when he comes home later that afternoon after he's finished beating up a few bad guys, " _again!?_ "

"I mean just what I said," Merlin says far too carelessly for someone whose best friend just got kidnapped for the umpteenth time.

"And you didn't think to – I don't know – s _top her_ from taking our best engineer captive?!"

"I'm not actually a superhero," Merlin says, shrugging. "It's not like I could have prevented her from doing anything."

Arthur runs a hand over his face that's getting redder and redder by the minute. "Then you call for _assistance_ , Merlin. You're in a building full of people with superpowers; surely _one_ of them could help you."

"Probably. But I was winning against Gwaine, and I didn't want to pause my game."

Arthur looks as if he might explode after that comment. "You are quite possibly the _biggest_ idiot I've ever had the misfortune of being saddled with! Do you even _think_ with that brain of yours?!"

"Of course I do," Merlin says, rolling his eyes where Arthur can see them, not really caring that it sends his boss into another bout of sputtering.

"Obviously, you don't." Arthur turns around on the spot, setting off towards his own office where a clean set of his supersuit is hanging. "And now I'm left to clean up your mess. Of course. Just what I needed."

Merlin follows, helping him out of the dirty, bloodstained fabric he's wearing, but doesn't make any motions towards dressing him in the clean supersuit. Instead, he hands Arthur one of the regular suits Arthur wears around the office when he pretends to be an ordinary marketing consultant.

"Merlin," Arthur bites out between clenched teeth, patience sounding like it's stretched so thin it'll snap any moment. "I need to go save Gwen. I know you apparently don't care about her safety, but I do."

"I care about Gwen's safety as much as you do, but I recommend waiting till tomorrow before rescuing her," Merlin says. "Going to Morgana's mansion now will only result in an angry Gwen and you seeing much more of your sister than you really need to. Trust me."

Arthur narrows his eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Merlin stares at Arthur, deadpan. "Do I have to spell it out for you? I know you care about your public image, and yes, you rescuing a beautiful, young lady like Gwen, _again_ , will be just the perfect front-page story on tomorrow's newspaper, further fuelling the gossip surround you and her—"

"I'm not dating Gwen," Arthur interrupts before Merlin can finish his sentence. His voice sounds off, and far from the frustrated anger from before.

Merlin gives him another deadpan look. "I know. But look—"

"I don't have feelings for her either," Arthur feels the need to say, sounding like he's giving out very important information.

"Good for you?" Merlin says. "It would also be rather awkward if you did. Since Gwen doesn't even like cock. And while your ever shaky relationship with your sister is currently celebrating a cease-fire, I'm afraid all out war would break out if you tried to steal Gwen from her."

Arthur blinks. "What?"

Merlin buries his face in his hands. "I give up. You Pendragons are the most obtuse people I've _ever_ met." He looks back up at a bewildered Arthur. "But _fine_! If you absolutely want to walk in on your sister eating out Gwen, or whatever the two of them are doing, be my guest. But don't say I didn't warn you."

" _What!?_ " Arthur says again, this time horrified, and his face, which was just starting to regain its normal shade, turns red for an entirely different reason.

* * *

The next morning Arthur picks up Gwen from Morgana's mansion and pretends he doesn't see the long kiss they exchange on the front porch before Gwen skids down the steps. She slides in beside him in the car, giving him a blinding post-coital grin that tells Arthur much more than he needs to know. He starts the engine as Gwen waves goodbye to Morgana through the car window, and drives back to the office building without comment, wondering when his sister managed to woo Gwen, and if maybe she could give him some tips in the love department.

He supposes he could always try kidnapping, though he's not sure Merlin would be as compliant about it as Gwen.

* * *

 **Reviews are much appreciated :)**

 **And if you want, you can follow me on tumblr or friend me on livejournal under the name elveatas. There should be links in my bio :**


End file.
